I recently attended a two-week workshop on general soft skills, cross-cultural awareness, and related subjects. Two topics really made me sit up and take notice. The others were good too, but the ones below truly caught my attention:
- Self-Leadership
- Fostering Creativity
I won’t go into detail about what was taught during the workshop. Instead, I’ll share my own independent thoughts on these topics from my perspective.
1. Self-Leadership
This is perhaps one of the most interesting topics I’ve come across recently. We often complain about the changes we’d like to bring into a “system” if only we had the chance. We also complain about the lack of leadership skills shown by those already in such positions.But when you look inward, you realize something important: leadership is not easy. You realize it the hard way when you try to lead yourself into change.
The “change” could be something simple, like waking up early in the morning. You can make a plan, start the process, and commit yourself to this small adjustment. Very soon, you’ll realize just how hard it is! It takes immense effort to pull yourself out of routine and adapt to a new reality. Most of us give up halfway, saying “it just isn’t possible,” or we procrastinate so we don’t feel guilty about quitting entirely.
But here’s the real question you need to ask yourself: “If it’s so hard to lead myself, how can I expect to lead others?”
And note—I’m talking about leading, not managing. They are completely different. Managing people is relatively easy. Leading them is hard.
2. Fostering Creativity
This is another area where I see many misconceptions. A lot of people believe they are “not creative,” as if creativity is reserved for a chosen few geniuses. After the workshop, I realized how misguided this idea of the “lone genius” really is.Creativity exists in all of us. The problem is that we let it go into hibernation because it feels easier to stay in routine and within our comfort zones.
For example: we were asked to paint a dragon with watercolors. I used to be fairly good at drawing a long time ago, but I thought I had lost touch. Yet when I picked up those brushes and started painting, I surprised myself—I actually did a decent job.
So, what sparked this? In my opinion, it came from not being afraid of the outcome. There was no critic, no one to judge me, no risk of failure in front of others. I was like a child again, simply exploring what I could do with those brushes.
That’s what creativity really is. It’s not about brilliance or perfection. It’s about freeing your mind from routine, letting go of fear, ignoring risks, and stepping outside the box of “feasibility” and “acceptance.”
When we do that, we uncover abilities and possibilities we never thought existed. Creativity isn’t rare, it’s just waiting for us to give it space.